The Only Water in the Forest
by DarkBloodbender937
Summary: It was up to her to save him. To save herself. "Forest of the Dead" oneshot


**So this came to me while watching Silence/Forest (surprise surprise) and then Impossible Astronaut/Day of the moon.**

**River will forever be one of my favorite characters on this show. She and the Doctor together are lovely.3**

**I in no way take these characters as my own. I bow down to the incredible actors and writers (Moffat!) on this show.**

**Enjoy :)**

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><p>The Doctor was awake now, and complaining. That wasn't unusual.<p>

Two minutes until her life ended, and still she grinned at the mention of the handcuffs.

How could she let him do this? If he died here, her whole life—her _parents_ lives, all the lives of people he saved, a whole life of his—would never have happened. And Donna…the woman the Doctor had told her about, but never known until now. That woman who saved the Earth…what would become of her?

What made him think he had a chance at this? Both of his hearts would burn up! At least she really, truly had nothing left to loose. The words she'd told her father in the building under Florida echoed in her mind, cruel irony hitting her like a shock from a live wire.

Even chained up, he fought for her. He had no idea who she was and he still fought. Perhaps some of her Doctor was there, just buried, not on the surface yet.

He knew she was going to die, that was certain. He'd always known. Inside, her mind was screaming, telling her of the pain her lover had gone through. She supposed it had come full circle…and what did it mean to him now? Nothing.

She remembered that day, a year ago, when he'd come to her doorstep and kissed her. She'd ruffled his hair, complaining good-naturely that it looked like he'd gotten no haircut at all. He'd flown her away in the TARDIS, finally relenting and letting her hit the 'boringers', but then switching them off at the last minute so that they both fell onto the console floor.

They'd stepped outside and her breath had caught. She'd heard of Derillium, of how majestic the Singing Towers were. In a strange way, it reminded her of the Underhinge.

It was only when he'd looked at her, tears in his eyes, that she knew something was wrong. How good he was at hiding things. Would she have figured it out, if he hadn't kissed her head and murmured an 'I love you', so soft it was barely audible? If he hadn't slipped one last gift into her hand as he left?

And even now, as he reached for the two gifts, the screwdriver and book he could never look inside—the second his gift as well—even now he pleaded with her. There was no time, and he'd seen her again. She promised.

She felt a rush of emotions plunge through her body. A weepy laugh almost escaped her lips as she watched her future beloved struggle in vain.

Thirty seconds left.

He'd find out in due time. The events couldn't be changed, only lived. Don't you dare rewrite a single line! She wouldn't erase a single word of that story for anything. You just watch. We'll run together.

He would only tell her his name for one reason.

Ten seconds.

She knew that reason well. But there was no time and, besides, why ruin the fun? She slipped the helmet on, feeling an odd sense of deja-vu, not unusual to a time-traveler.

She could tell him one last thing. The words were in the back of her throat, aching to get out. Three words, three short syllables. The words that rang perfectly true, but had no meaning to him, and wouldn't until he found her—the real her.

She swallowed the words and hushed him. For those last four seconds, she dropped every wall she ever had, just as she had done when he'd found her for the first time. This time he could see the emotions, but it would only have meaning when he saw her again, when she would have no idea of the events to come.

She could tell him, but what was life without mystery?

River Song gave the Doctor a watery smile, repeating a fond word taken from him the day they'd met.

"Spoilers…"

She closed her eyes against the bright light. It was almost like regenerating.

The light faded. The countdown was done.


End file.
